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Lowell Brueckner

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An Urgent Message to God's Elect by B.H. Clendennen

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WARNING: Do not view this video if you are content with your current spiritual state. This video should only be watched by those who desire to live for Christ with every fiber of their being.

We Have an Altar - Chapter 7

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My thoughts are taken up with Christ crucified... His death in our place and how we must identify with it, in order to live our lives to the glory of God. Please study this first chapter in the second section of a new book, "We Have an Altar".


IDENTIFICATION


Chapter 7

Identification with Christ’s Cross

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in (or of) the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”                                                  Galatians 2:20

In the second section of this book, we will look into identifying with the cross. Christ has been crucified for us; doing something for us that we could not do. That means substitution, signifying that He took our place. However, here Paul sees himself crucified, as well. He said, “When Christ died, I died.” That is identification with the cross and if we are to live the Christian life, we must also identify with it. 

Paul had much to say about the cross in the letter to the Galatians. In the four Gospels, Christ opened to us the door into the ways of God and the Spirit of God in Paul taught him those ways. He is inspired by the Holy Spirit to share these truths – the high and mighty thoughts of God, which are totally different from all that is earthly or human. Natural man cannot grasp any of these things by His own mental powers and there is no subject so far out of his reach than that of the cross. It is a message that is diametrically opposed to the philosophy taught by the world and its experts. If we need divine enlightenment to see the things of God at all, then that light must shine brightest upon us, if we are going to survey the cross.

Galatians is a book about Christian liberty and it is often misunderstood. When the flesh makes use of it, it gratifies itself, saying, “I am free in Christ. I can do what I please and go where I please. I can take part in the world’s pleasures and still be a Christian. I can have the world and heaven, too.” The Holy Spirit does not illuminate the flesh and therefore the cross is put aside in mere human understanding. However, a new creature in Christ Jesus will see the cross behind Christian liberty.

The 75-year Anniversary

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From Quinney....      


 ..... to Chilton


                                                       
CHAPTER 12

THE 75-YEAR ANNIVERSARY

From the beautiful sanctuary of the Faith Alliance Church in Chilton, Wisconsin, Pastor Jim Jensen announced the first song on Sunday morning, September 19th, 2010. It was the always-appropriate hymn of praise, "To God Be the Glory, Great Things He Has Done", including the soul-stirring words, "Great things He has taught us, great things He has done, and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son". The next hymn was "Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus Our Blessed Redeemer" and the song service ended with a more contemporary song, "Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart".

It was the 75th anniversary and thanksgiving celebration of the Quinney Chapel/Faith Alliance Church. The pastor gave a brief account of the early history of the church and continued telling of the struggles and battles, when the congregation moved from the very small village of Quinney to the town of Chilton. He shared a little of his own calling to that congregation 37 years before, but insisted, "This is not my church! It has never been my church! Jesus is the Head of this church!" He gave the reason for its existence, "God wanted to reach out and draw people to Himself."

He told how lost souls were drawn to the church both in Quinney and Chilton, and then mentioned how the little congregation in its infancy, during the difficult economic years of the 1930’s, managed to give over $400 to foreign missions. Remember, also, that the dollar had much more value those days. That amount, of course, increased significantly in the years following.

The pastor’s wife affirmed that the congregation of this church had always known what it meant to move by faith. It was evident from its inception, continued through difficult times of trial, and she could tell personally of the faith involved, when her husband and she first came to take on the ministerial duties. Therefore, it was eventually and fitly named,  Faith Alliance Church.

Identification with Christ's Suffering

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I am sure that I have never tried to write anything as important as these chapters on the cross of Christ. I feel it urgent to put the things that I have seen before some of God's people. Recently, I have learned from the persecuted people in India, who had no means of self-defense or help from their government, the value of what I have written. Please study carefully this chapter, the second-to-last in the upcoming book, "We Have an Altar".

Chapter 11

Identification with Christ’s Suffering

“Whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” Philippians 3:7-10

In these chapters, we see clearly the need, not only to view Christ on the cross as our substitute, but also to identify with Him in His death. Paul counseled us to yield to the same attitude of humility that sent Him to the cross and now, he writes of fellowship with Christ in His sufferings and experiencing the power of His resurrection. Since we are focusing on the cross in this book, we will only cover the area of His sufferings.

Towards that purpose, Paul suffered the loss of all things. He gave this short biography to the council in Jerusalem: “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today” (Ac.22:3). Saul of Tarsus looked for a prominent place among his people. He abandoned the distinguished city of his childhood and made his way to Jerusalem, the capital of Judaism. He sought out the highly esteemed Pharisee and rabbi, Gamaliel, and made significant progress in his career; in fact, he outshone his peers. He was a Jew, body and soul, of the tribe of Benjamin with a passionate zeal to pursue and defend his religious heritage. He ordered and disciplined his life in order to find righteousness in the completion of its law and that was his hope of eternal life.

I think, nothing more need be said to prove that the glory of Saul’s life was his religion. However, after his dramatic encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus, it had to go. What he once loved, now he hated. Our translation speaks of these past advantages as rubbish, but the original word included excrement in its definition and is probably a better rendering. Though extremely attractive in the past, now Paul saw as repulsive anything that could be used for comparison to Christ. It was something that had to be expelled to make room for something better.

A higher purpose took possession of his heart and love motivated him to draw close to Christ in personal relationship, which he considered to be something of “surpassing value”. His goal was intimate friendship. He let nothing stand in the way of full identity with this most winsome of all personalities. He longed to participate with Him in all areas of life, suffering included. In order to do so, he had to count as loss all that he formerly considered gain. Paul could take nothing with him to the cross. The cross is about loss and the lines of a hymn testify,

My ambitions, plans and wishes,
At my feet in ashes lay.

Video: Persecution

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"And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it...(1 Corinthians 12:26)" We are suffering! Pray for your brothers and sisters who are being persecuted for Christ's sake. 

Video: EE TAOW - Salvation comes to a Tribal Village (2 of 2)

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Part 2 of the Mark Zook story.


watch part 1

Video: EE TAOW - Salvation comes to a Tribal Village (1 of 2)

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Part 1 of a primitive tribe's miraculous conversion to Jesus Christ through an "unqualified" missionary couples's obedience to God.


The Superb Language of the Cross

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Pardon, redemption, reconciliation, propitiation, justification, regeneration… we are not entering some kind of deep theological study here, reserved for the intellectuals. These are biblical words, given to the common believer in the Bible, therefore we are compelled to know about them. If we ignore them and refuse to teach them, because they are unfamiliar to the common man, then we are averting the full counsel of God.

I say this, because there are people, who seem to think that there is virtue in ignorance and they glory in it. The Bible extols the value of wisdom and even a cursory study of the Proverbs should convince us of its worth: “Does not wisdom call and understanding lift up her voice?... ‘To you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men. O naïve ones, understand prudence; and O fools, understand wisdom… Wisdom is better than jewels… Riches and honor are with me… The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old… When He marked out the foundations of the earth; Then I was beside Him, as a master workman; and I was daily His delight’…” (Pr. 8:1,4,11,18,22,29,30). This only scratches the surface of the doctrine of wisdom taught from the beginning to the end of Scripture. In a parable, Jesus commended five wise virgins and condemned five foolish ones (Mt. 25:1-12).

Strong Delusion

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“The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires (2 Ti.4:3)… Because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved... GOD will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false (2 Th. 2:11)… He also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone… And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night (Rev.14:10-11)… These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power (2 Th.1:9)… I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you fear HIM (Jesus, Lk.12>5)… and the Bible references go on and on, because the theme of falling into delusion and the resulting punishment is not a minor one in Scripture. I find it obligatory to join with other concerned Christians in doing the little that I can to counterbalance an avalanche of perverted teaching concerning the love of God. I just celebrated my 67th birthday, have been a Christian since two days before my 10th birthday and I have been in Christian ministry for 47 years. Within that time, I have watched apostasy make huge gains with great rapidity. It has invaded an increasing number of so-called evangelical churches and what is seen, heard and propagated in the name of Christ leaves those of us, who know better, horrified. You and I are exposed today to massive deception.

Powerful signs of upheaval in the last half century or so are seen in every area of society - in world politics, in nature, in moral values, and in economic collapse. Anyone, who will bother to take notice, can see that throughout 2010 and this far into 2011, we are experiencing a very notable upswing in the number and immensity of all sorts of disasters. Even the secular world is beginning to acknowledge it.

Two popular books have been written in the past few years and have sold millions of copies, contributing immensely to the 21st century church’s trip into apostasy. One of them is Love Wins by Rob Bell and the other is The Shack by Paul Young. Both authors are proponents of a Christianized version of universal salvation. That is serious error, for reasons that I will point out, and should be considered heresy. The authors, then, are heretics and I came to that conclusion before I went to the internet and heard Franklin Graham call Rob Bell a false teacher and a heretic. Right on, Franklin! Paul Young is no less a heretic.

Chapter for new book (draft)

Him Crucified

“For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” 1 Cor. 2:2

I remember driving into Romania one time during the heat of a political campaign. Along the roads in the countryside, political parties displayed newly-hung advertisements on the billboards. Posters were stuck to many light posts in the towns and banners streamed across the streets. On them all were the faces of candidates for various local, provincial and federal offices. They looked their very best, wearing the most pleasant expressions, and bedecked with fine suits and ties. Every effort was taken to give the impression that these men and women were intelligent, friendly and compassionate human beings, worthy of the votes of the populace. “This is our candidate,” the parties declared, “Vote for this person!”

My mind went back to the Gospels and the central event of all human history. It took place outside the capital city of the little country of Israel. Between heaven and earth a body was hung for public display on a Roman cross. His face was swollen beyond recognition, disfigured from the multiple blows of fists and palms, and from a rod, with which He was beaten over the head. Blood flowed from the wounds of thorns pressed into his forehead and from gaping holes in his hands and feet, where soldiers had driven nails. On the beam just above His head, the Roman governor had commanded that a sign in Latin, Greek and Hebrew, should present the charge, for which He was executed. It read: “This is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews”. God Almighty looked down upon the scene from His throne room in Heaven and declared, “This is My Candidate! Vote for Him!”

Since that day, the writing has been translated into hundreds of other languages throughout the world. The cross gives us a startling revelation of God’s way of publicity. Make no mistake about it, God’s way is always the right and wise way. Ever since the fall, man’s ways are perverted and twisted 180% away from the divine perception that he was given in creation. His general means of publicity is nothing less than a deception. But Jesus said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself” (Jn. 12:32). He was speaking of His crucifixion as an attraction, through which, and only through which, people would be drawn to Him. All humanistic religion aside, no one comes to Christ except through the cross.

Introduction to new book

As I have been ministering on the cross from place to place, some have asked that I write on the subject. Here is a tentative introduction to the subject. I will try to include in this site soon, a chapter or two. These are not the finished project, but just something to give you an idea.


WE HAVE AN ALTAR
“We have an altar, from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered without the gate. So, let us go out to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.”
Hebrews 13:10-14

In the Old Testament God marked a site for sacrifice and it was forbidden that Israel should offer at any other place. Before Israel knew where it should be, God had already predetermined the place. His plans were formed before the world was created. At that spot, David interceded and a great plague that destroyed thousands came to an end. There He sent Abraham on a three-day journey to offer Isaac. There was no alternate choice, no “plan B”, regardless of the inconvenience involved in arriving. When King Jeroboam built an altar in another place, a man of God was sent to proclaim judgment against it.

The writer of Hebrews referred to “an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat”. He said that it was ours – “we have an altar” – showing it as something, which we Christians possess in common and we possess it exclusively. The Old Testament priests had no right to it, and, in fact, the whole world of religious and non-religious people must keep their distance. It has been erected by God Himself under a new covenant for true believers around the world. What can this altar be?

There is little possibility of making a mistake here; the only altar of sacrifice under the New Covenant is “the place of the skull” outside Jerusalem – Mt. Calvary, the Roman execution site, where the Author of our faith ultimately found His place. Here we must meet Him, confront His altar and extract from it all that it implies in relation to the Christian life. It is the only place, in which we can meet Him.

Mark records in his Gospel that Jesus forewarned His disciples four times of His suffering and death. The references are 8:31-32, 9:9, 9:31-32, and 10:33-34. Mark stated pointedly that Jesus made it very clear to them, without speaking in allegorical form. However, they somehow managed to escape from it, looking for some kind of hidden meaning in the message. They were simply unwilling to listen.

Rev. David Wilkerson killed in Texas car crash

Just want to share with you an AP bulletin that affects every true Christian in the U S and in many other parts of the world. We lost yesterday a voice that shared with us "what the Spirit says to the church". Lowell


Home U.S. April 27, 2011

Pastor founded Times Square Church in New York City, made it his mission to bring religion to troubled area

(AP) TYLER, Texas - Rev. David Wilkerson, founding pastor of Times Square Church in New York City and author of the best-selling book, "The Cross and the Switchblade," has died. He was 79.

Texas Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Tela Mange says Wilkerson died Wednesday in a car accident in East Texas. Mange says Wilkerson's car smashed head-on into a tractor-trailer rig after veering into another lane.

Wilkerson's World Challenge Inc. ministries confirmed on its website that he "went to be with Jesus."

Wilkerson founded the non-denominational Protestant church in 1987 in an area of Manhattan that was then riddled with X-rated movie houses, strip clubs, prostitution and drugs.

Wilkerson also founded Teen Challenge, which uses a biblically-based recovery program for drug addicts.

His wife, Gwendolyn, was injured in the car accident.

The Old Cross and the New

by A. W. Tozer

ALL UNANNOUNCED AND MOSTLY UNDETECTED there has come in modern times a new cross into popular evangelical circles. It is like the old cross, but different: the likenesses are superficial; the differences, fundamental.

From this new cross has sprung a new philosophy of the Christian life, and from that new philosophy has come a new evangelical technique-a new type of meeting and a new kind of preaching. This new evangelism employs the same language as the old, but its content is not the same and its emphasis not as before.

The old cross would have no truck with the world. For Adam's proud flesh it meant the end of the journey. It carried into effect the sentence imposed by the law of Sinai. The new cross is not opposed to the human race; rather, it is a friendly pal and, if understood aright, it is the source of oceans of good clean fun and innocent enjoyment. It lets Adam live without interference. His life motivation is unchanged; he still lives for his own pleasure, only now he takes delight in singing choruses and watching religious movies instead of singing bawdy songs and drinking hard liquor. The accent is still on enjoyment, though the fun is now on a higher plane morally if not intellectually.

The new cross encourages a new and entirely different evangelistic approach. The evangelist does not demand abnegation of the old life before a new life can be received. He preaches not contrasts but similarities. He seeks to key into public interest by showing that Christianity makes no unpleasant demands; rather, it offers the same thing the world does, only on a higher level. Whatever the sin-mad world happens to be clamoring after at the moment is cleverly shown to be the very thing the gospel offers, only the religious product is better.

The new cross does not slay the sinner, it redirects him. It gears him into a cleaner and jollier way of living and saves his self-respect. To the self-assertive it says, "Come and assert yourself for Christ." To the egotist it says, "Come and do your boasting in the Lord." To the thrill seeker it says, "Come and enjoy the thrill of Christian fellowship." The Christian message is slanted in the direction of the current vogue in order to make it acceptable to the public.

The Marks of Cultism

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By Zac Poonen

"Let no one defraud you of salvation's victory prize, no one who indulges in assumed (false) humility and the cult of messenger-worship ... instead of keeping hold on the Head from which the whole body grows with God's increase" (Col.2:18,19 - Berkeley version).

"A people who walk in the way which is not good, following their own thoughts, who say, `Keep to yourself, do not come near to me, for I am holier than you'" (Isa. 65:2,5).


"From among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be on the alert" (Acts 20:30,31).

To be cultistic is to be devoted to a person or to a doctrine in addition to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is to make tabernacles for 'Elijah' and 'Moses' along with one for the Lord as well. This always brings a cloud that hides the presence of God. The will of God is that our lives be centred in Jesus only (Matt.17:1-8).

The last days will see an increase of cults in Christendom. Many will fall a prey to these, because they will worship the Lord's messengers instead of having a close personal relationship with Christ the Head.

In order to be saved from this danger, it is good to know some of the marks of cultism, so that we can be on guard against it at all times.

There is a difference between being part of a cult and being cultistic.
It is possible for you to be in a church where the doctrines are all basically Scriptural, and the leaders are all godly men, and yet to be cultistic in your attitudes towards your leader, your group and towards other believers in other churches. Cultism is seen, not only in a wrong doctrine, but also in wrong attitudes.

Those who are right in their doctrines and upright in their lives are often unaware of the cultism that there can be in their attitudes.

TO WHAT SHOULD WE BE LOYAL?

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Please read an article by a man from the "brethern movement", who has it together concerning Christian loyalties. It applies to all of us, whether we are involved in a denomination, an organization, a local church or an independent body of believers.

What do you think of the person who says, "My parents were members of this denomination. I was born in it. And I'll die in it." "Oh," you say, "I think he's wrong to talk like that:" "Yes, but why is he wrong?" "I suppose because he assumes his denomination is right and will always be right." "Well, then, to what denomination or group should he be loyal?" "I guess he shouldn't be loyal to any denomination, because no denomination is perfect." "One final question. If he shouldn't be loyal to any denomination or group of Christians, to what should he be loyal?" "He ought to be loyal to the Lord and to the principles of His Word." Yes, of course! That is the only correct answer. It is a mistake to develop an undying loyalty to any Christian fellowship, no matter how scriptural it may be at the time. Even suppose that you reject the whole idea of denominations. Suppose you meet with Christians who refuse any sectarian name. Suppose, for instance, that they speak of themselves by the innocuous name of "the assemblies." They seek to adhere to the teaching of the Word. Shouldn't you throw in your lot with them permanently and be loyal to them alone? If you do, you will find yourself in a difficult position. You are committed to a group that will almost inevitably change over the years. This has been the history of almost every Christian fellowship. Liberal tendencies creep in. Zeal and freshness give way to formalism. A denominational hierarchy develops. Soon you can write Ichabod over the whole thing-the glory has departed.

Then again, if you are loyal to a group of assemblies, the question always arises, "With which particular ones do you agree?" There are wide differences among any group of local churches, just as there are wide differences among individuals. Some are open, some are exclusive. Some are conservative, some are liberal. Some have a pastor who presides over the congregation, others repudiate a one-man ministry. No two assemblies are exactly alike. So there is a real problem. To which assemblies are we to be loyal? Are we to blindly subscribe to all the assemblies that might be listed in a semi-official address book? It seems obvious that we cannot consistently do this. We must judge each individual assembly by the Word of God, as far as our own personal affiliation is concerned. Here is another problem. If my loyalty is to a particular group of local churches, what is to be my attitude toward other Christian groups that might in some ways be closer to the New Testament pattern than mine is? How do I evaluate them? Do I simply wave them off by saying, "They are not among 'our' assemblies." Do I accept or reject them by whether their activities are reported in one of "our" magazines?

Karyn´s Poetry

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That I May Know Him

Karyn
As my heart You individually fashion,
Make me a servant humble, lowly and meek.
To know Jesus my only sought passion,
So on this earth no reputation I’ll seek.

But my affections You will fix up above,
And conspicuous, my mission made clear,
You will fill me with His “no greater love”,
Then pour me out to draw others near.

And to this world so dark I’ll be light,
Selfless to serve with each breath.
Through me He will manifest bright,
By my being conformed to His death.

On my knees to wash feet I will bend,
And offer other’s burdens to bear.
Laying down my life as a friend,
I will in His suffering share.

I will willingly bear up my cross,
Enduring whatever be the cost,
Counting all on this earth rubbish and loss,
Even my life to rescue Your lost.

I’ll press on through trial and pain,
Accept every circumstance grim,
Until death is surely my gain,
Because that is the way I’ll know Him.


Causes and Characteristics of an Organization

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Gal 1:10 “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? or am I striving to please men? if I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ.”

1Co 7:23 “Ye were bought with a price; become not bondservants of men.”


It is true that at times, when Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God, He included that which is external and visible. That is especially obvious in the parables of Matthew 13. Almost the whole chapter demonstrates that not everything, which visibly and tangibly relates to the things of God, is in truth of eternal value. The chapter begins with the Parable of the Sower and it shows that not all the seed of the Kingdom brings eternal fruit. He spoke of the Kingdom as a net that caught good and bad species of fish. He taught that the Kingdom is as a treasure in the field. The whole field is bought to be able to possess the treasure, but of course, not all the field is the treasure. He affirmed that among the good wheat, useless tares would grow. He illustrated how a grain of mustard grew in an abnormal way, above the intention of the one who sowed it. In the same way, the leaven is mixed into three measures of meal and the size exceeded its substantial value.

Nevertheless, before the Pharisees, when it came time to separate that which was external and visible from that which was internal and spiritual, Jesus said to them, “The kingdom of God does not come with signs to be observed or with visible display, nor will people say, Look! Here [it is]! or, See, [it is] there! For behold, the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts]…” (Luke 17:20-21, Amplified Version. Note: The Greek preposition translated here within is only found in one other place in the New Testament. It is where Jesus said, “Cleanse first the INSIDE of the cup and of the platter…” Mt. 23:26.) Before Pilate, Jesus reduced things to their lowest terms to announce,“My kingdom is not of this world…” (John 18;36).

The most extreme and fanatical conclusion to which a group of people can come is a conviction that their organization or religious society is an exclusive representation of the Kingdom of God on the earth. Therefore, the only way to be saved, they believe, is through their organization and to leave its cover is the same as abandoning Christ and His gospel. It deserves the complete devotion and loyalty of its members. If you are there, everything that is necessary to life and godliness is provided, so there is no reason to look elsewhere. They are the body of Christ and the family of God. There are people who believe just that and without a doubt they are under a total deception. I hope that few who read this article have fallen into such a deception.

Raquel's testimonies

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A SMILE IN ADVERSITY

by Raquel Ehmer



I was born in Cacahuatepec, Oaxaca, Mexico, where my parents were missionaries. I was the fourth child, following three boys. After me three more girls were born and another boy. We were brought up in the ways of God. I am so thankful to have had parents, who taught us early about Him.

I was still young (six-years-old), when I realized that I was a sinner and needed a Savior. I remember, I was playing outside under a big tree. My older brother, Steve, told me that if the tree would fall on me and kill me, I would go to hell, because Jesus hadn’t saved me. That shook me up and I didn’t feel like playing anymore. I wandered around our yard, pondering what I should do. I finally went to find Mom. She took me into Dad’s study, where she explained to me that everyone was a sinner and needed to be saved. When she asked me if I wanted to pray to Jesus to ask Him to save me and live in my heart, I became excited. I was very happy after praying. I wasn’t afraid of trees falling on me anymore, because Jesus had saved me!

A few days later, I was in school and the teacher was leading devotions. She said, “It isn’t enough to ask Jesus into your heart. It’s also important to make right the things that are wrong in your life and ask people you wronged for forgiveness.” That wouldn’t be easy, but I started to ask forgiveness from everyone, who came to mind. The hardest thing for me to confess was stealing a chocolate bar from my friend, Merry Elva. I saved that confession until last. It was difficult, but after it was done, I had peace.

In 1979, my family moved to Minnesota and then, seven years later, to Germany. There, I met and married Tom Ehmer. We settled down in a town near Augsburg in Bavaria. In 1994, a little baby girl, Jessica, was born to us. On June 14, l995, she was seven-months-old and I read a child devotional book, written by Joni Erickson Tada. It had a special prayer: “Please be with my daddy today; he has so much to think about. Be with him in a special way.” I thought to myself, “That does not really relate to us today,” without realizing how much we all would need the Lord’s presence in a matter of hours and in the months to come.

Plans suddenly smashed

Heaven's King Answers Prayer

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Here are my first and only poor attempts at poetry.

HEAVEN´S KING ANSWERS PRAYER
Into God’s sanctuary, from a desperate heart comes a plea,
It echoes through its sacred halls, floats over the glassy sea;
It is carried by angels’ wings, upon living creatures’ wheels,
The only voice in a silent heaven, to the altar of incense it steals.

Holding a golden censer, a heavenly apothecary waits,
Mingling with incense those simple words, an unearthly aroma creates;
So it ascends to God’s throne, now let the earth beware,
The awesome power that will fall from above, when the King of heaven answers prayer.



GOD IS OUR INHERITANCE

1. There is a nation of princes and priests,
Who gain nothing through temporal investment;
Who set down no roots in this world’s poor soil,
But inherit God’s will and testament.

2. These royal priests have a high call and aim,
To walk down halls of infinity;
To gaze on endless and limitless beauty,
To know the heights and depths of divinity.

(Chorus)
God is our inheritance
His presence is our aim.
God is our inheritance
We revel in His name.

Can We Love Ourselves Too Much? - Dan Denk

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Note: Self-love is the philosophy of anti-christ. It prepares people for his reign.

Can We Love Ourselves Too Much? by Dan Denk
(From “His” student magazine of Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship – 1982)

I may as well admit it from the start. I do love myself. Most people love themselves, I think – even those who complain and who seem to have low self-esteem.

What troubles me is that I’m told I need to love myself more. I need to improve my self-concept, become self-fulfilled, self-actualized because “a poor self-concept is the source of all our problems and “you must love yourself before you can really love others.”

It’s time to take another look at the psychology of me-ism. Has it been adopted as Christian teaching when perhaps it is pagan? Is it harmonious with the teaching of Scripture about self, its problems and solution?

When doing extensive counseling as a teacher at a Christian college, I talked with Doug one day (as I had many times before).

He was feeling down on himself again, overwhelmed with his own shortcomings. He was socially awkward. He seemed to be in his own world.

On previous occasions I had tried to help him improve his self-concept. It would work for awhile-then he would be in the pits again.

I HAVE OTHER SHEEP - 1, 25 sept 2008

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I HAVE OTHER SHEEP - 2, 25 sept 2008

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I HAVE OTHER SHEEP - 3, 25 sept 2008

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I HAVE OTHER SHEEP - 4, 25 sept 2008

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I HAVE OTHER SHEEP - 5, 25 sept 2008

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I HAVE OTHER SHEEP - 6 25 sept. 2008

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